The United States has agreed to temporarily delay the escalation of certain additional tariffs on floriculture hard goods produced in China from 10 percent to 25 percent, an increase that was scheduled to take place Jan. 1, 2019. In return, China will open its market to U.S. agricultural and industrial products.
The delay comes after President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Buenos Aires at the Group of 20 Summit to discuss, among other things, the tariff situation. Many floriculture hard goods are included among the thousands of products from China already subject to the current 10 percent tariff, which was imposed in September. Those products include plastics, ceramics, containers, and other packaging materials commonly used in the floral industry.
The Society of American Florists sent a letter to the United States Trade Representative in early September advocating on the industry’s behalf.
A number of uncertainties still remain, said Shawn McBurney, SAF’s senior director of government relations.
Read more at the Society of American Florists (Drew Gruenburg)